The old chestnut, “You never have a second chance to make a good first impression” is splendid news for Shys. So is another, “First impressions last practically forever.” That means, if you pump it up and put pizzazz into your personality for a paltry ten seconds when greeting someone, that memory takes a long time to fade.
Why ten seconds? That is the time it takes to make a first impression. Even the most lethargic librarian can juice it up for that amount of time.
If you’ve faithfully been doing your daily demented duck exercise, you know how it feels to have high-octane energy flowing through your veins. But there is no need to maintain that super-cheerful, gung-ho personality all day. It would come across as fake, and you’d have to be carried home on a stretcher. There are, however, a few strategic moments throughout the day when you should recapture that energy.
One of them is arriving at work. Just before entering the door, throw your shoulders back, soften your face into a relaxed smile, and give a lively greeting to anyone you know. This certifies you as part of that most beloved species, human beings who are energetic and optimistic.
You don’t need to stay chipper and revved up all day. After that first little burst of effervescence, your coworkers will see you as a confident and congenial individual whose quietness means that you’re concentrating on your work.
I’m basically a very quiet person and don’t have much to say in a group. I work in a post office, and a woman there gives everybody a big “hello” every morning. People like her a lot, so I thought I’d try it. I think my coworkers were surprised the first time I did it. I stayed with it, however, and I see people responding to me better, although I’m just as quiet as I used to be after my big hello.
—Tina G., Concord, New Hampshire
The energy burst is especially important when you are meeting someone for the first time. Let’s say that someone introduces you to Archibald at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. “Hello, Archibald, I’m so happy to meet you,” are the words. But you say them as though you had just won the lottery. Now that Archibald has pegged you as Mr. or Ms. Personality, he will interpret any ensuing silence as your being a good listener.
You will find many occasions to repump the wacko energy juice through your veins for a few seconds—passing someone in the hall, answering the phone, responding to a question, greeting an acquaintance, complimenting a stranger. In each case, those ten-second blasts of animation can lead to long-term benefits.